Hi Stephen, thanks a lot for the reply. Bit scary too, as I thought transfers would be lot easier.
I have not been able to work further, but there are certainly a few things to sort out before I start. Maybe you are willing to guide me a bit more.
1. I would go out and get a copy of Sound Forge 9 or Movie Studio HD Platinum 10 (which contains SF10). You will have to pay something for this (unless you buy a device such as a flash recorder which happens to give a free copy, and there are many such devices), but not much - probably around $50. It's a licensed product, and you will not regret getting it.
I will consider this, if I need it. Currently I am using Wavelab, not sure if that can handle Atract aswell, have not checked yet.
2. THE ONLY ONE of the formats that you list that gets transferred completely unchanged to Hard Disk is LP2 (LP4 is fine too, but you don't mention it). Odd? But true.
My first recordings (year 2000) are in standard MD format (can’t remember how to call that), LP2 later and some mono’s. I read the mono’s are transferred as stereo files? (two channels mono?).
3. For best quality arrange to have SS transfer to HiSP (256k HiMD Atrac3+) rather than WAV. The latter is possible, but if you have SF9(?or 10), since it supports ATRAC in all flavours, then you can edit directly the OMA files. Also you get a 256k (compressed) 24-bit file, whereas you can only get a 16-bit WAV file. Ignore all the nonsense about ATRAC lossy-ness - for your purpose you can can transfer/convert and edit just fine without messing up the sounds. Note that taking WAV upload, and then converting to ATRAC Advanced Lossless 256k works fine, but will sound just the same as HiSP 256k - and I think you actually lose more bits (though I cannot prove it) when you upload to WAV. Alright, if I get it right this is were Soundforge comes in. In other words, if my Wavelab is not supporting ATRAC in the way SF does, I have to get SF? Ok this I have to check.
From my first attempt with SF I did notice I have 2 options to transfer Netmd or HiSP? Have to check this too.
4. You will need to learn how to decrypt the files with the Sonic Stage File Conversion Tool, which should be run from within SS, rather than as its own application (don't ask!).
Otherwise:
a. you cannot edit them, and
b. your files are locked to this PC for ever and you may have trouble with future upgrades or re-install of Windows.
Note that Windows Media Player (after a couple of tweaks for file type support) will play the files even when encrypted - this does NOT mean that you have decrypted them - it too will stop working if the System Information changes.
This bit scares me and is not very clear too. Do I have to decrypt the files too, even if I work directly with them in SoundForge?
I am right that the raw files I get from the MD with SS are so called .OMA-files? If .OMA files is the raw stuff, then I would like to:
- Save all my OMA files nicely sorted in directories on a hard disc. That disc gets a backup (or maybe even 2). It will remain there for life and I probably won’t touch it again in the near future, but I do want be able to edit (or convert first and than edit). But I don’t want them to be restricted or be forced to keep the original harddisc where I put the files first or whatever. Is this possible?
- If this is not possible, I am forced to convert the raw files with the file conversion tool? And than what, save them as .wav? Is it decrypted than? (in other word, I can handle them just like any other .wav file?)
5. In terms of editing, you can join all together and split with SF, later. Note that anything you do to edit files, they will need to be removed from Sonic Stage data base and re-added after any change of data - otherwise they don't play. Logical, huh? OR, you can add the data from the MD side (drawback - no Artist and other metadata possible). I think/feel the best way to avoid any problems is just do the transfer (with marks) and do the joining part later. I can live with that. This just means I have several files form one concert in one directory (see point 4).
6. If you plan to make archive copies on CD, recommend you number the (final) tracks yourself exactly like this "001-<blah>.OMA", <002-<blah>.OMA" and so on. There are no groups in the PC world, however SS will take (first choice GROUP, second choice when no groups DISK TITLE) and make a folder in the "imported sound" destination.
This part I do no understand very well. I have no intention to save to cdr, just harddisc. My idea was to make a directory-structure like this:
Artist > City + Date. (U2 – London 1.1.2000) and put all (.oma?) files in there. I do like to rename them in Windows Explorer in something like 001.oma, 002.oma. Is this possible?
7. Recommend you fix SS to import to somewhere NOT under your User file tree. Make a separate destination such as C:ATRACfil, so you are not limited by the length of the path name when you transfer any tracks with long long names from MD. Also means you can share files on your own network for play, when you have properly decrypted them ( see #4 above) without getting messed up by Windows ACL restrictions, if you understand me. Avoid long filenames (and find stuff back easy), got it, thanks!
8. The handiest way to edit track data on the MD side is undoubtedly M-Crew. However you may have to find an old XP PC, or at least a 32-bit copy of Windows 7 (XP 32-bit box is possible but a bit iffy). Not to mention needing special hardware (PCLK-MN10 or 20)unless you can get your hands on the amazing CMT-series models that use only USB to communicate with the computer - but will still need 32-bit Windows. Of course you can with many decks use a PS/2 (not playstation, but the IBM designation PersonalSystem/2) keyboard. What deck do you have already?
Not sure Sony ..530 something? (optical out). Bought this to do optical out recording earlier, before I got this RH1. At this time I think I will not do any editing on the disc itself.
9. NOTE that if you leave track names completely blank before upload:
a. SS will put ridiculous names that involve the upload time, not the creation date
b. SS is very bad about deleting blank tracks, and will probably ruin your MDs owing to a bug if you try to delete more than 1 at a time, ever!!!!!!
Thanks for the warning. I have no intention to use SS for anything other than strict needed. I am not gonna lable things. Only rename the filename in windows explorer if possible. I will take off SS from the machine if the transfers are done.
10. Your plan of uploading one disk as one track is a good one if you plan to do major manipulation of the sound (eg de-crackling an LP using SF's built in tools). But if not, your sanity will be protected by leaving in the track marks. However you will still need to decrypt, remove from SS, combine and re-add if you plan any editing - so you may prefer to do the labelling before upload.
After the transfer, I do decrypting and I will edit the wav files (cut and past separate tracks as one long file). That file will be edited (bit of EQ, fades etc.) These files will be converted to FLAC and kept as the version to listen to. At that point I will probable have 3 versions if I understand things correctly, (1) the RAW .oma files, (2) the decrypted files (.wav? is decrypting the same as converting? And (3) the final FLACs.
11. As to FLAC, SF9 does not support it, but I have a feeling that SF10 does. Something for me to try soon.
There are several ways for WAV > FLAC. TradersLittleHelper is a nice one too.
12. Final piece of advice - save the RH1 for uploading, don't use as a player or for editing.
Thanks, I will.
grts,
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